Jacksons appoints AML compliance officer

Jacksons Law Firm has appointed Kristen McQueen as its in-house anti-money laundering (AML) compliance officer, reinforcing its commitment to compliance.

With experience across legal, financial and real estate sectors in both public and private institutions, Kristen’s appointment marks a shift from the traditional practice of senior partners handling AML responsibilities.

Originally from New Zealand, Kristen moved to the North East in 2020 and is excited to work with Jacksons’ teams in Newcastle and Teesside. 

She said the role highlights the firm’s dedication to compliance at a “really exciting time” in its 150-year history.

Kristen said: “It’s not common for there to be an in-house, AML specific compliance person within a law firm, as it is usually a separate part of someone else’s job.

“I think it is great that Jacksons have created one specific role for this, as there is a growing need for compliance professionals within law firms.

“I personally don’t believe it’s something that can be tagged onto another job role anymore – it requires at least one dedicated person.

“My appointment is part of Jacksons’ overall growth strategy for the future and it’s a great time to be joining a firm where there are so many positive changes being made.

“It is nice to have the diversity of working across both the Teesside and Newcastle offices and both offices have been really friendly and welcoming.”

Amie Callan, partner and head of operations at Jacksons, added: “We welcome Kristen wholeheartedly to the operations team.

“The work Kristen will be doing is such an important part of our day-to-day operations and ensuring we’re compliant, which is why we felt it was appropriate to appoint a specialist to focus specifically on this role.

“Kristen’s appointment sees us adding to our already growing operations team, with specialists in IT, marketing and business development, finance and operations all now working in house.

“This is in keeping with the approach we take to our legal services, whereby our clients appoint a specialist in a particular area of law.”

Erica Turner, partner and head of legal, added: “By appointing specialists in their field to work with us in house, we can ensure that our clients are in the best possible hands through every touchpoint of the firm.

“We feel very lucky to have such an experienced compliance specialist as Kristen working with us and believe her to be a very valuable asset to the operations team.”

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